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Saturday, May 17, 2014

The Show is Over, Folks!

And I survived!

I want to start off with the last few quilts I finished up. I started this Mariner's Compass soon after agreeing to do the show. The compass has a 3" diameter. I had tried to set it in a circle of flying geese, but in trying to combine the elements from two different patterns, I couldn't get them sized compatibly. So I ended up with the border from the original compass pattern. The original was in shades of blue, but I wanted Christmas colored batiks. I'm happy with how it turned out. I've been trying to decide whether or not to hand quilt it, or leave it unquilted and frame it. I'm not anxious to hand quilt on batiks. This piece is 9 1/2" square. I think I will name it "Sailing Home for the Holidays"

I got the little "Wandering Geese" quilted and bound. I did SITD around the geese and columns. The border and sashing are hand quilted. I don't usually bind in a lighter color than the border, but I liked this better than any of the other colors, and I didn't have enough of the border or sashing blue to do the job.

Ended up doing straight line quilting, in diamond formation, in the center of this, and kind of a half orange peel design in the border. Because of its diminutive size, this is named "Trip Around the Block" (rather than TATW).

If you look closely at this one you may be able to discern that the binding is only pinned down. Didn't quite have time to get the whole thing finished before the show. Since this was made from part of an "airport project kit" gifted to me by good friend Annie Miksch, before DH and I flew to visit DD#1 last fall, I have named this "Annie's Neighborhood". I hand quilted the houses and did the rest by machine.

Okay, here we go--show time. My apologies to those who asked for lots of pictures of the show. I didn't get any of the actual show. Though my friend took at least a couple dozen with my camera, something went wrong and when I tried to download them, nothing was there.
But I took a shot of my setup when it was all over.

As I would tell about a quilt, I would take it from the little trunk (this was a mini trunk show, after all), and hang it with small clothespins to the lines strung between the poles. Many thanks to those who loaned back minis in their possession, that I had made. That helped so much, as I did not have time to complete everything that I had planned to make. In fact, four of the mini quilts are still flimsies.
Closer view of each display below.

Barb Vedder (Fun with Barb blog) made that sweet little flying geese quilt
in the upper left corner of this display. I used it with her permission.

I had another group of quilts that are small, but not mini. As they fit into the story of how I came to make miniature quilts, I would hold them up. Tonight I stuck them all up on my design wall and took a photo.

Which brings me to my final photo. Friday was the 3rd anniversary of my blog. Sometimes I think I have been blogging forever, and other times I feel like I am such a beginner. But however long it seems, I have met some incredible women who inspire me and support me and make me want to be better (not just in quilting, but in life). To thank those of you who are following along on my quilting journey, I offer this little anniversary giveaway.

There are 2 charm packs of new lines that I love, one of my micro minis (Baby Steps to Heaven), a 2" basket ornament, and a bag of my herbal soap. If you are interested, leave a comment and I will draw a name when I get around to it (that shows you how tired I am as I am typing this up--getting punchy). Let's say Wednesday is the cut off. I will draw at 9 p.m., or thereabouts. : )Giveaway now closed.

Until next time,
Janet O.

p.s. Saturday morning I am attending a class by Sue Patten on quilting feathers. I am anxious to see what I can learn.

What a great giveaway! I love little quilt. Repros are are my favorite types of fabric and I have been looking at both of those lines, but haven't gotten any. Hope you have a great time in your class! Her quilting is wonderful.

Stunning! As I see them all together and life size, I am in awe at how wonderfully you do miniatures! So many of them are true miniatures because when you see them on the blog, you can't tell how small they actually are! Good job in other words! I am impressed! Thanks so much for your friendship and inspiration over the year or so that I have known you! I do love following your blog, and part of that reason is because you are so sweet to chat with! Congrats on a great blog, and thanks so much for the chance to win!

Whew! Sit down and take a breather! All of your minis are perfection! You're crackin' me up with the "Trip Around The Block"! lol! And I love that little houses one too... and the basket ornament in your giveaway is wonderful too... who doesn't love houses and baskets, right? :-) Have a great weekend!

AND what a show!!! Janet, following your journey preparing for the trunk show was as thrilling as being there. Thanks for documenting your thoughts and progress. Your quilts and ornaments are precious.

All of your minis look awesome, Janet - what a great display! I love that you hung them all on the "clothes line" as you spoke about them, that is a perfect idea! I'm with you on the Wandering Geese - don't normally like a lighter binding, but this worked out really well - just a shade lighter, and I think I like it better than if it were the same as the border. Still can't believe you lost all of your pictures, but thanks for re-creating it for us!

Congratulations on your fabulous trunk show--I'm sure it was very well received, and all your beautiful work appreciated. I love the clothesline display! Amazing skills you and your DD have on those micro-minis. Congrats also on your blogversary--so glad we met here in blogland. Thanks for the chance to win good stuff! I love the basket block mini.

An amazing show, Janet. Love your idea of the clothesline. That would be a wonderful way to display minis. All of your creations are simply amazing and I thank you for always including us in your quilting journey.

All of your hard work paid off, all of your little quilts look amazing and I'm sure the show was enjoyed by everyone! Now you can relax a little. Thanks for a chance to win in your giveaway, everything looks wonderful!

Congratulations on such a wonderful, inspiring show. You out did yourself, as usual. Your work continues to inspire me to press on. Thanks for all the pictures and also showing them as a display so we can get the feel of being there with you ... as we were in spirit and heart.

We all knew you would present a spectacular program and you did! Loved your idea of the mini trunk and the clothesline. Well, take a break and a breathe. Thanks for the chance to win some awesome things. I always enjoy following along.

What an amazing show this must have been. I wish I could have been there to see it. Thanks for sharing your process along the way. I love how you displayed the quilts on the lines. Super sweet idea!Now, relax a little and enjoy your day.

Congratulations on your blogiversary and on an amazing show! Everything looks fabulous! Can't wit to hear how your few thing class goes...I took on with Dawn Cavanaugh last year and I still need LOTS of oractice!!!

Double applause and hooray for the trunk show finish! Sounds like it went well and I just love your display ideas. I think you passed on the "curse"....I was called yesterday about doing a trunk show for a large guild. Good luck with the class and share all--everything---you learn about feathers, please!

I've followed you for a while and knew that you make small quilts and lately were working on a small trunk show... and then I saw your photos in this post... Those little quilts are LITTLE!! and Breathtaking!! Thanks you so much for sharing the photos, and a big congratulations to you! PS- thanks, too, for the chance to win in your giveaway and congrats on the blog anniversary.

What a great trunk show, I'm sure it was even better in person. I'm a fairly new reader of your blog, found it through a link . Glad I did, I've been enjoying it. Congratulations on your 3 years!valekort at yahoo dot com

Congratulations on the successful trunk show. I can hear the audience when you opened the little trunk and pulled out yet another adorable mini! Too bad the pictures did not turn out. Maybe someone from the group took some during your talk. And congratulations on your third year blogiversary. It seems like it was just yesterday that you started. I love your posts and your quilts. Keep up the great work!

Congratulations!!! I knew you'd be fabulous -- and your setup was *marvelous*!! I bet the guild really appreciated your program -- I so wish I could have been there!!! Maybe our guild needs to fly you down to Huntsville for a program! :)

Well Janet, I am speechless!!! (And as you know, that ain't easy to do!) I SO wish I could have been there to see all these marvelous little quilts in person - so beautiful!!! Each one is a masterpiece - simply amazing! And the names you came up with too - just perfect :) You are AMAZING my friend!

Congratulations on multiple levels, Janet. I had no doubt that you'd have a spectacular display of little quilts, and that's exactly what you gathered for your talk. Please don't enter me in your drawing (I'm trying to reduce my stash, rather then add to it), but understand how much my quilting days are enriched by comments from you, and back-and-forth e-conversations with you, and sharing of the ups and downs of our quilting experiences. You're a joy to know.

The Trunk Show was Fabulous. I am so glad that I was able to be there and see all your wonderful work. You have inspired me to try mini's. Would really love for you to teach a class or give a demo!! Your work is marvelous. Thanks!!

Hey! What a great post for me to read first since my bit away from blogland! So wish I could have been there. Your displays are fabulous! Do you have any special plans for the minis you recently made for the show? Congrats on your 3 year anniversary of blogging. Don't put me in the drawing. I haven't touched my quilting in over a month. We've been so busy setting up the "farm". We started off with 6 ducklings who are growing at an alarmingly rapid pace and this past week the barn cat let me witness the birth of her 3 kittens. Now that your trunk show is over I hope you will find a little time to relax. Take care.

I wish I could have been there to see these quilts in person! They look so amazing! You do such fantastic work! Seeing them hanging on the little clothes line really put their 'mininess' in perspective. I am sure you are relieved the trunk show is over, now you can relax a bit and enjoy your quilting. Happy blogging anniversary!!

Oh my Janet! What a fantastic display of your mini quilts! I enlarged each picture and drooled over every single one! It's obvious that you put lots of time and love in every quilt you make. One cannot have enough mini's... that's my philosophy, and you inspire me to make more!!!! Congrats on a great show! Time to put your feet up now!

I too wish I could have been there to see the mini quilts and everything you had. It looks like it was a success...congratulations, now you can relax and enjoy making more mini's...Happy Blogaversary...Julia ♥

I can't believe you have such a great giveaway and are including a micro-mini!! Love the photos you were able to get from your show - how disappointing it must have been to be photo-less. I'm definitly saving this post for future ideas! I'm about to make a wandering geese table runner...did you paperpiece or use Deb Tucker's technique (which is what I am going to use)?

Janet, your mini's are beautiful and so well done. Love the names that you have given each one. Great name for the Mariners quilt. Your show presentation was really nice, yes the clothes line was perfect. Great giveaway. You already are a pro at quilting feathers. You could teach a class yourself.

I think this is what heaven will be like! YUM!So much beauty to enjoy...lovely treasures!I really like your idea of mixing hand and machine quilting on one quilt.Thanks for the wonderful eye candy!And congrats on the blogiversary

I'm just amazed Janet! I know how hard you worked to make this a great and inspiring show. The display is wonderful and you had so many pieces. What sweet and thoughtful names you have given each little quilt. Seeing them hanging all together, for me really shows a more realistic view of how very small they are. Congratulations on your 3 year anniversary. I'm so happy you have chosen to share your love of quilting with us.

About Me

My priorities are my faith, family, freedom and fun. I have a wonderful husband, four great grown children and five precious grandchildren. I love to quilt, read, walk, garden, make soap, watch old movies and play Euro-style board games. I am trying to come to terms with gluten-free baking.